Recently, headlines were set ablaze with the news of a big drug bust in an upscale hotel by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. Details of the bust have intrigued netizens given the details: They were 11 men, involving a doctor, two models, and an engineer and they were allegedly engaged in an orgy session. Initial reports also identified how one of them was HIV-positive.
This hit a nerve particularly with the LGBT community and Pia Wurtzbach. The Miss Universe 2015 has long been an advocate for HIV-AIDS awareness and anti-discrimination. A few netizens then prodded her to make a statement. And she did.
Pia went directly addressing every point in the issue with how drug bust reports were said to confuse homosexuality with HIV-AIDS and substance abuse. It was deemed unfair and very damaging to a community that has long been fighting against discrimination.
Under the Republic Act 8504 or The Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998. Under section 2 of the said act, the following is stated:
(b) The State shall extend to every person suspected or known to be infected with HIV/AIDS full protection of his/her human rights and civil liberties. Towards this end:
(1) compulsory HIV testing shall be considered unlawful unless otherwise provided in this Act;
(2) the right to privacy of individuals with HIV shall be guaranteed;
(3) discrimination, in all its forms and subtleties, against individuals with HIV or persons perceived or suspected of having HIV shall be considered inimical to individual and national interest; and
(4) provision of basic health and social services for individuals with HIV shall be assured.
As of presstime, Pia’s post has received 89,000 likes and over 4,000 comments on Instagram. Members of the LGBT along with various netizens have expressed their support and gratefulness over Pia’s message.
https://twitter.com/im_chris_19/status/935834027373748224
https://twitter.com/sogoodjosh/status/935814961363795968
Being HIV+ is not a crime. You know what's a crime? Revealing people's HIV status. It is NEVER okay to shame people for having it.
Come on people, it's 2017. #destroythestigma
Thanks, Queen @PiaWurtzbach. Medyo nagduda ako sayo, pero this earns you points in my book awow lol. pic.twitter.com/uIXu7EYKg1
— Weanne Estrada (@WeanneMyrrh) November 29, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcD_vcBgfNu/?tagged=piawurtzbach
@pura_belarmino read and I quote “being gay is not a crime, living with hiv is not a punishment’.
— JSap (@JSaptweets) November 29, 2017
"She's an icon and I love how @PiaWurtzbach defended lgbt and hiv/aids carriers"
WHY CANT SOME PEOPLE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF LGBT APPRECIATE THAT AND STOP BASHING HER ABOUT NOT SAYING A THING ON DUTERTE'S WAR ON DRUGS?
— not all mikes are michael (@mikelumence) November 29, 2017
Photo courtesy of Pia Wurtzbach’s Instagram account
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